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10.9.19

I am incredibly late with this post, but with Indiana back at school and Parker starting this week, I feel like normality has resumed a little bit. Although with that in mind, I feel as if the madness of the Summer Holidays were a lifetime ago already, even though it was only last week!

August was a month of absolute highs and incredible lows for us as a family. We celebrated Parker turning 4 with his first birthday party with friends, plus an amazing day out at Chessington World of Adventures. We also spent my birthday as a family at Colchester Zoo, which I hope to write about soon as it amazing, one of the best zoos we've ever been too! We ticked off everything on our Summer Bucket List apart from visiting the lavender fields (we ran out of time!) too, which made for lots of super fun summer memories.

August was also filled with incredible sadness for us as a family though, as on the 19th we lost my amazing nan. She was such an incredible woman, and the littles absolutely loved their great nanny, so it has been (and still is) a very difficult time. The littles have taken the news really well though, and know that nanny is watching them in the stars now.

The summer holidays meant we actually got plenty of family photos this month - although most are grainy selfies! All of them bring back fun memories though, from watching a film at the outdoor cinema, exploring a local NT property and getting lost in the maize maze. It was chaotic, crazy and stressful at times, but I do already kind of miss them all being at home. So here's to the next half term holidays!

9.9.19

Family holidays are a fantastic way to take a break, refresh, and spend some quality time with your children - especially when they're at school age. But finding a holiday that everyone will enjoy can be a complicated job. Whilst your perfect break might be a leisurely wine tour somewhere in the South of France, it’s probably not going to keep an eight-year-old entertained for a whole week. Plus, if you’re going to be spending a fair bit of money, filling suitcases with holiday gear, and getting everyone onto an airplane, you want the destination to be well-and-truly worth the effort!

So if you need a few ideas to get the ball rolling hopefully this blog post will help. I'm going to be sharing 4 fun family holiday ideas that everyone will love and remember forever.

Activities and Adventures
When we think ‘holiday’, we imagine a week away from work and chores, probably not doing very much at all! But we all know that children love an activity they can get stuck into and keep them busy. Luckily, there are plenty of holiday options which combine R&R with a healthy portion of action and adventure on the side.

Water sports can include anything from surfing, body-boarding, water-skiing, white-water rafting, scuba diving or canoeing. Basically, if there’s a body of water involved, you’re good to go! And when the children (hopefully) get tired, that’s when you can get some sunbathing in too.

Mark Warner provide some brilliant water-sports family holiday packages in several beautiful locations including Turkey, Greece and Corsica. They also have a special childcare option built in to help children learn, have fun and most importantly stay safe, whilst enjoying an action-packed break. They allow you to enjoy activities you want to do, while not having to worry about your children being bored or left in a regular kid's club.

If rock-climbing, cycling or hiking is more your thing, check out Activities Abroad for some land-based packages with a similar focus on family fun and safety. They also offer a number of cheaper options in the UK too, so you could forget the airport hassle altogether, and have a UK staycation instead.

And if you like the idea of snow-capped mountain peaks and hot chocolates by the fire, then why not consider a winter skiing holiday? Neilson ski holidays are all about making the most of the snow, with ski and snowboard lessons, a kids club for under-12s, Snowman Club for toddlers, and a range of hotels and chalets for accommodation options. Perfect!

Great British Camping
There’s nothing like sleeping out under the stars, getting some fresh air and recreating your own childhood camping experiences. So if you’re planning on a budget or aren’t keen on air travel, camping can be a brilliant option for summer holidays in the UK.

Alton, The Star is a highly rated, family-friendly campsite right on the doorstep of the Peak District National Park (and Alton Towers)! It also boasts Carsington Water and Visitor Centre, which offers a wide range of activities for all the family on and off the water, including miles of footpaths and bridleways to explore, a children’s play area and fishing.

If you fancy taking things to the next level and giving glamping a go, Drayton Manor Park should be top of your list. There’s not a soggy ground mat in sight at Drayton’s pre-pitched tents, as these luxury canvases are fully kitted out with everything you could want. And nearby, you’ve got the Snow Dome, the National Forest, and Drayton Manor Theme Park.

If your children are mad about animals, you could even look into a Farm Stay camping holiday. With loads of locations to choose from, farm stay holidays offer a range of activities and accommodation options, including petting and feeding animals, swimming pools, cycling, walking and indoor games, all within the UK.

And if you’d like the luxury of taking the family on holiday whenever you like, it could be worth investing in a caravan of your own, from somewhere like Lyons Holiday Parks Caravans For Sale. That way, whenever and wherever you want to go, you’re fully equipped and prepared!

City Breaks
When you think family holiday, taking a city break may not be the first thing that comes to mind. But some cities in Europe are a lot more child-friendly than others, and can be a great way to absorb another culture and have fun.

Rome has plenty to offer for curious little ones, including the Leonardo Da Vinci Museum, with it's hundreds of machines and models designed by the Renaissance genius. You can also climb the cupola of St Peter’s Basilica in The Vatican, and at just over 136 metres, the 551 steps become increasingly adventurous as you near the top. In terms of tasty treats there's plenty of options that are child friendly, with pizza and ice cream a plenty!

Paris is similarly full of things for children to do, from exploring the Magic Museum and it’s 100 bizarre mechanical figurines, to enjoying the giant whale skeletons at the Museum of Natural History’s Gallery. If that’s not enough, you could always take a couple of days to visit the nearby Disneyland Paris too!

Cruises
Not every cruise holiday is going to suit children, but some packages really have it covered with water parks, swimming pools, cinemas, kids clubs, games rooms and everything else a little one could ever want.

Norwegian Getaway packages have something to offer literally everyone, from musicals to waterslides, cruising between a series of glamourous locations including Miami, Mexico and the Caribbean. With 14 decks and 26 different dining options, as well as kids clubs, bowling, rock-climbing mini-golf and more, it would be virtually impossible for anyone to get bored!

For a trip a little closer to home, check out the Regal Princess, which boasts an eleven night round trip from Copenhagen to Scandinavia or Russia, visiting cities in six additional countries: Stockholm, St. Petersburg, Oslo, Helsinki, Berlin, and Tallinn. The whole family can enjoy movies under the stars on the giant poolside screen, and The Voice of the Ocean singing competition and Discovery at Sea activities. The perfect mix of culture, fun and relaxation!

Indiana is coming up to 2.5 now and recently has really enjoyed walking when we go out. When Parker was born we opted for a double pus...

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